Maj. Gen. Sami al-Aridi of the Iraqi special forces said his men were searching homes in areas retaken from the Islamic State, looking for militants and vehicles rigged with explosives. Troops in those areas continue to be hit by mortar rounds, sniper fire and suicide bombers, he said. Other forces are advancing on the city from different directions, and a U.S.-led coalition is providing airstrikes and other support. The Islamic State captured Mosul in the summer of 2014 as part of a blitz that placed nearly a third of Iraq under the group’s control. An Islamic State affiliate in the northern Sinai Peninsula has carried out scores of attacks in recent years.

Source: Washington Post November 20, 2016 22:45 UTC